Pretoria - The court appearance by 15 people, including nine police officers, has brought the total number of suspects in connection with the multimillion-rand police vehicle marking tender case to 32.
They appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court for a bail application on Monday following their arrests at the weekend in connection with the R56m police car branding tender.
They face charges of fraud, money laundering, corruption and theft. Among them are police officers who were stationed in Silverton, along with retired captains, administration clerks and suppliers.
Their arrests form part of the National Prosecuting Authority’s three-year investigations.
By June, 16 senior members of the SAPS had already been arrested.
The accused were granted R5 000 bail each and will appear again in September 29 alongside their co- accomplices.
Another suspect, who initially fled, will appear in court tomorrow, investigating directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Twala said.
Twala said the suspect handed himself over to the Silverton police on Sunday.
The case relates to the accusations of manipulation of procurement documents for the branding of police vehicles as well as cover quoting of written price quotations for the SAPS.
The alleged incidents occurred between April 2016 and last year. The quotations relate to contracts for the installation of palisade fencing, repair of state motor vehicles, gardening services, servicing of forklifts and painting services to the sum of R29m.
Prosecutor Tilas Chabalala said: “We are working around the clock to bring more suspects before the courts. More arrests can be expected in this case.
According to advocate Hermione Cronje: “We are making great progress in rounding up everyone who was involved in this case. We are making exceptional strides because of the assistance of a special task team seconded to us by the national police commissioner General Khehla John Sitole.”
Pretoria News